Let’s review what God’s grace has done through the cross of Christ and His resurrection. It has given us forgiveness, justification, crucified our sin nature, made us to die to sin, placed us in Christ, given us a new spirit, raised us up to new life, the LIFE of Christ in us, given us every benefit spoken of in the scriptures for those who are in Christ, even brought us to experience death of self, and yet He was not done. To top it all off, He has also given us His Holy Spirit to live in us to aide us in this life.
It is often said that Father God is seen as the Planner. It seems Jesus and the Holy Spirit seek Him for what to do and what to say. Jesus is the Doer of the Father’s plans. The Holy Spirit is the Revealer. He reveals the Father’s plan, reveals Jesus as the Son of God and He is the revealer of Jesus in us and all that is.
1 Corinthians 2:7–13 (NASB) “but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory;8 the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;9 but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God,13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.”
It is only in the context of these verses that the next make scriptural sense.
Romans 8:28–29 (NASB) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren;
Romans 8:29 reveals Father God’s plan for our destiny: to be conformed to the image of His Son. Doesn’t that sound right, that if we are to be heirs that we should also be conformed to be like the Son? So out of every circumstance, God brings us closer to being more like Jesus. This is where our God totally outsmarts our enemy. Where the enemy’s nearness in the beginning resulted in the fall, and our condemnation, now his temptations and intrusions can result in our sanctification!
Romans 8:26-29 to the believer, is probably the most important passage in the Bible. Being made into the image of the Son is our destiny! We were originally created in the image of God but now we are being conformed to the image of the Son. That is the place to which God is taking us! It is the measuring stick, the plumb line, of our spiritual growth and maturity. It is our destination. And He has given us His Holy Spirit to lead us there and help us reach that destiny.
Can you imagine taking a trip without a destination? Or worse, having the wrong destination? You may be willing to go. You may have the means to get there. You may even have memorized the map in your hand but it would all be a waste of time, and you’d never to arrive where you are supposed to be. It is imperative you know your destination. Your destiny, no matter the scenery on the way, is to let Jesus LIFE live through you! To be conformed to Him.
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